The story of Jonah as a model for a new, biblically based moving-image genre.

Abstract:

The goal of this research is to define the intent for Christian moving-image media narratives in terms of Prophetic Imagination and to develop and describe the characteristics of a new biblically based genre for Christian moving-image media that incorporates intent, content, style, and form. The story of Jonah and the related message as ironic vision, in combination with a particular didactic narrative form (edutainment), creates a medium with a Prophetic Imagination result. This medium, which is at the same time the message, is termed Jonahre. This new genre proposes a fresh Christian purpose and possibility for using the moving-image media to tell stories.
In terms of the paradigm of Prophetic Imagination, the challenge for Christian moving-image media is to establish a biblically based alternative consciousness in society that results in the invitation to live a Lifestyle of the Believer in and contrary to the lifestyle of the dominant culture. Christians find themselves in a paradigm somewhat similar to the ancient Israelites in exile, as Christianity and its message have become de-centralized by the popular culture in a dominant postmodern world with a secular worldview.
The task thus of preaching, telling stories and communicating the Christian message through moving-image media is to subvert these dominant ideologies through a God-given message. This message should carry a transformative revelatory purpose to glorify God and establish a biblical Christian outlook on life and the world that goes beyond merely a Christian veneer. Producers of narratives with a Christian worldview can no longer depend on simply using secular formats to convey Christian messages, as is currently often done with moving-image media. Instead, both content and form must be biblically based and have the same intent and purpose. This demands a new format for Christian moving-image narratives that aims at laying claim to the icons that dominate the secular “empire” so that they may be conscripted for the purpose of establishing a Christian worldview among the inhabitants with an empire consciousness.
For the development of this new genre, the narrative of the book of Jonah as model of biblical storytelling is examined by means of socio-rhetorical criticism and communication theory. The communication as rich tapestry of interwoven textual textures is considered to find the basis for elements of a Prophetic Imagination narrative that educates in Biblical truth while entertaining the dominant cultural audience through an ironical, didactic style.